Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Hawthorne NJ
Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start?
My one headlight on the left side doesn't always go up all the way, I took a members advice and bought the fix from Mid-America. Could somebody tell me the steps to get to the gear where these are located? Thanks, MAD's instructions are not very helpfull. Thanks again.
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From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
CI VI Veteran
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (joseph p)
The way I did mine last week was to remove the whole headlamp assy from the car.
Once removed, start to remove the electric motor from it's brackets. You'll have to remove the pivot bracket (stainless bracket connecting the motor to the lamp assy itself) Becareful as not to break the little plastic bushings at either end of the pivot bracket.
Once the motor is removed, undo the round plate on the backside noting where the correct spacers and washers go.
Pull the plastic gear from inside, clean it and surrounding recessed area and replace with new "pellets".
Check to make sure the gear itself isn't worn (they make a replacement one out of brass I think) Put some grease on the outside of the gear and reassemble.
Hope that helps. Since then, I have bought a service manual and if you need more specific directions, I could copy them and fax them to you.
Mark
Once removed, start to remove the electric motor from it's brackets. You'll have to remove the pivot bracket (stainless bracket connecting the motor to the lamp assy itself) Becareful as not to break the little plastic bushings at either end of the pivot bracket.
Once the motor is removed, undo the round plate on the backside noting where the correct spacers and washers go.
Pull the plastic gear from inside, clean it and surrounding recessed area and replace with new "pellets".
Check to make sure the gear itself isn't worn (they make a replacement one out of brass I think) Put some grease on the outside of the gear and reassemble.
Hope that helps. Since then, I have bought a service manual and if you need more specific directions, I could copy them and fax them to you.
Mark
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Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (C4 Newbie)
:iagree: I didn't read the post in detail, but it souns like it will get you there
I haven't looked lately, but we used to have help topics archived on the forum and there were some reall really good step by step instructions there
Jack
I haven't looked lately, but we used to have help topics archived on the forum and there were some reall really good step by step instructions there
Jack
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Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (joseph p)
Do I HAVE to remove the whole headlight assembly?
Thanks
Thanks
:D :jester Yes! Unless of course you can stand on your head and rember which way is lefty lucy :D
Take it out, it's simple, spread it on a nice cloth on a nice bench and take the tension out of the job
IMHO
:seeya
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From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
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Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (jackdaroofer)
:D :jester Yes! Unless of course you can stand on your head and rember which way is lefty lucy :D
Take it out, it's simple, spread it on a nice cloth on a nice bench and take the tension out of the job
IMHO
:seeya
Take it out, it's simple, spread it on a nice cloth on a nice bench and take the tension out of the job
IMHO
:seeya
Lefty Lucy...lol. Yeah, wouldn't want to screw that up. Actually he's right, it's much easier to take the unit out and work on it in a clean open area.... that way you won't be hunched over and break your freakin' back leanin' over that damn tire...LOL.
Mark
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From: Saint joseph MI
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (joseph p)
I've done both of mine and had found an article in an old Corvette Fever that walked me through it. What I thought was weird, is the internal gears of mine were different between the left and right side. I also agree. Take the whole assembly out of the car first.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Hawthorne NJ
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (jhughes2101)
By "whole assembly", do you mean headlight, door, motor, etc.???
Also, I've tried to do a search...wasn't able to find anything on this. Anybody know where I could look?
Thanks again!
Also, I've tried to do a search...wasn't able to find anything on this. Anybody know where I could look?
Thanks again!
Racer
Joined: May 2002
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From: Good Old USA
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (jhughes2101)
I replaced the bushings in my wifes '95 2 weeks ago, and the ones in my '96 this past weekend. Interestingly, the 2 cars were slightly different (mostly in mounting hardware). In both cars, only the passenger sides had turned to dust, while the driver sides were absolutely fine (still replaced them though). Although the driver sides were easier than the passenger (due to the reversed motor design, the nylon gears came out much easier), the '95 was easier overall. :crazy:
As the posted tech tip only partially applied for me, I took a ton of digital pics to accompany the tech tip I'm putting together.
Anyway, this mod/repair is relatively easy as long as you can spin a wrench, you take your time, and don't loose your patients (particularly with the nylon gear removal on the passenger side).
As the posted tech tip only partially applied for me, I took a ton of digital pics to accompany the tech tip I'm putting together.
Anyway, this mod/repair is relatively easy as long as you can spin a wrench, you take your time, and don't loose your patients (particularly with the nylon gear removal on the passenger side).
Racer
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 344
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From: Good Old USA
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (joseph p)
By "whole assembly", do you mean headlight, door, motor, etc.???
Also, I've tried to do a search...wasn't able to find anything on this. Anybody know where I could look?
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
This tip will get you going, but they can vary so much between years. What year are you working on?
[Modified by Midgetfist, 1:04 PM 10/29/2003]
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From: Sachse Texas
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Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (Midgetfist)
I just started taking stuff off until I got to them ;).
It only takes 4 bolts as I recall to remove the whole headligth from the hood. Very simple. The rest of it I had to play with to get it apart, but it was failry easy and straight forward.
It only takes 4 bolts as I recall to remove the whole headligth from the hood. Very simple. The rest of it I had to play with to get it apart, but it was failry easy and straight forward.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Hawthorne NJ
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (Vette92)
OK...you were all right, disassembly and reassembly was fairly easy....except for one MINOR glich! Put it all back together and now the light just goes up a little and stops completely. I think I have the gear that lets you wind it by hand, out of sync...how do I get everything aligned at the right point? I can see the other lght-motor spinning to complete its job of opening the light while the newly-geared one stops. Thanks again and in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Foresters Falls(near Ottawa) Ont
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (C4 Newbie)
Check to make sure the gear itself isn't worn (they make a replacement one out of brass I think) Put some grease on the outside of the gear and reassemble.
What did you use for grease????? :confused:
What did you use for grease????? :confused:
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Hawthorne NJ
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (RonJ)
Didn't seem to need grease, had some on it still. I think it might have more to do with manual winder, but I will take it apart again and grease it. What type of grease should I use? Also if anyone has advice as to how I could synchrize the gearing when it's apart, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks
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From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
CI VI Veteran
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (joseph p)
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but if you assemble the motor, once you put the brackets back on, it should line up by itself since the brackets will force the motor on only one way.
If that doesn't work, plug the motor in (without having any brackets hooked up) and turn the headlights on and off. It will "park" the motor in the closed position.
I still think that you won't have to worry about it, I think it'll only bolt on one way.
Mark
If that doesn't work, plug the motor in (without having any brackets hooked up) and turn the headlights on and off. It will "park" the motor in the closed position.
I still think that you won't have to worry about it, I think it'll only bolt on one way.
Mark
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Hawthorne NJ
Re: Nylon Headlight "fixers".... Where do I start? (C4 Newbie)
Can only hand-turn headlight up about 1/8 of the way...if I unplug both wire-plugs and turnknob in the other direction, it doesn't go REAL far and still only opens slightly when plugs are reconnected and lights turned on..